Pour spout container

ABSTRACT

A pour spout carton is provided extending on opposite sides of a fold line connecting two adjacent carton panels. The spout has a generally oval outline with the lower end defined by outwardly bowed fold lines and the upper portion defined by cut lines or perforated lines. A pair of angularly related fold lines extend across the oval outline at the juncture of the outwardly bowed fold lines and outwardly bowed weakened line. Reinforcing panels are secured to the panel area containing the pour spout. Short connecting straps connect the portions of the reinforcing panels in face contact with the two adjacent carton panels so that the reinforcing panels do not interfere with the folding of these two adjacent carton panels.

United States Patent Hennessey et al.

[54] POUR SPOUT CONTAINER [72] Inventors: Russell J. Hennessey, St. Paul; I

Edwin C. McLaren, Minneapolis, both of Minn.

[73] Assignee: Hoerner Waldorf Corporation,

Ramsey, Minn.

[22] Filed: Oct. 23, 1970 211 Appl.No.: 83,516

52 user ..229/17 11,229/7 [51] Int. Cl ..B65d 5/72, B65d 83/00 [58] FieldofSearch ..229/l7,7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,842,302 7/1958 Ryder ..229/l7R 3,404,828 10/1968 Whipperman ..229/l7R' 2,338,260- l/l944 Ringler ..229/l7R 2,960,264 11/1960 Walter ..229/l7RX [1511 3,692,227 [4 1 Sept. 19, 1972 Struble ..229/l7 R Desmond ..229/l7 R Primary Examiner-Davis T. Moorhead Attorney kobert M. Dunning [5 7] ABSTRACT A pour spout carton is provided extending on opposite sides of a fold line connecting two adjacent carton panels. The spout has a generally oval outline with the lower end defined by outwardly bowed fold lines and the upper portion definedby cut lines or perforated lines. A pair of angularly related fold lines extend across the oval outline at the juncture of the outwardly bowed fold lines and outwardly bowed weakened line. Reinforcing panels are secured to the panel area containing the pour spout. Short connect- 2 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEBSEH m2 3.692227 SHEET 1 OF 2 F/G. 3 F75. 4

I 'OR Russ EL L J. A EA/MEssEr,

faw/lv C Mc LAIQEA/ QM. an

ORNEY POUR SPOIIT CONTAINER This invention relates to an improvement in pour spout cartons and deals particularly with a carton having a pour spot which will be easily opened and closed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In US. Pat. No. 2,818,207, issued Dec. 31, 1957 to Willard W. Wilson, a pour spout was produced which was generally diamond-shaped in form. The upper and lower ends of the dimaond-shaped pour spout area met at common points on a vertical score line dividing the side and end panels. The upper two of these lines were either weakened lines of separation, or formed lines along which the carton stock could be cut in order to provide the top of the pour spout. A pair of fold lines extended fromthe outermost corners of the diamondshaped area to a point on the vertical fold line between the points of intersection of the upper and lower lines defining the diamond-shaped area. When the carton stock was pressed inwardly below the intersecting lines of fold, the upper portion of the pour spout folded outwardly to permit the dispensing of the contents of the carton.

While this construction and others of the same general nature functioned effectively for their desired purpose, the spout did not always effectively close. Furthermore, it was often a tendency for the entire pour spout to flex inwardly thus eliminating the spout construction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION We have found that by making the pour spout area generally oval rather than diamond-shaped, a more effective spout may be produced. The sides of the pour spout are connected to the carton panels along the fold lines whichare outwardly bowed to some extent. This places somewhat more stress upon lower portions of the pour spout, which tends to hold the pour spout in open or closed position more effectively. In other words, due to the curve of the fold lines, there is no more resistence to bending, and once the pour spout is opened, it tends to remain open; and once it is closed it tends to remain closed. Thus, the structure is more positive than a construction in which the fold lines are straight.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a construction embodying an inner liner member which extends inwardly of the upper portion of the pour spout, and which tends to prevent the upper portion of the pour spout from flexing inwardly when inward pressure is applied to open the pour spout. In other words, the upper portion of the pour spout is held definitely from flexing inwardly, causing the pour spout to open more correctly and naturally.

A further feature of the present invention resides in the particular manner in which the inner reinforcing panels are hingedly connected. It is well known that difficulty is experienced in anchoring hingedly connected panels to the inner surfaces of hingedly connected outer panels. Due to the fact that the reinforcing panels must fold inwardly of the outer panel's, difficulty is normally experienced in squaring such cartons up after they have been glued in flat condition. We have found that by cutting away the major portion of the fold line connecting the two reinforcing panels, so that only very short lines of fold remain connecting the two panels, a

structure is produced wherein the connecting straps between the reinforcing panels are free to buckle inwardly as the carton is folded, thus, eliminating the tension between the two panels and permitting the flat folded cartons to open up readily.

These and other objects and novel features of the present invention will be more clearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the pour spout carton in closed position.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the carton in open position.

FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the carton in open position.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the pour spout, the view being taken along the section line 4-4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of the blank from which the carton is formed.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic plan view of the flat folded carton, a portion of one panel being broken away to show the reinforcing panels.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the flat folded carton.

The carton A is formed from the blank best illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawings. As indicated, this carton includes a side panel 10, an end panel 11, a side panel 12, and an end panel 13 were foldably connected along parallel fold lines 14, and 16. A glue flap 117 is connected to an edge of the side panel 11) along a fold line 19. The upper end of the glue flap 17 is provided with an extension forming a first reinforcing panel 20 which is hingedly connected along a fold line 21 to a second reinforcing panel 22.

A generally oval shape pour spout outline 23 is provided near the upper end of the fold line 16, this outline 23 including outwardly bowed fold lines 24 and 25 in the panel 12 and the panel 13 respectively, the fold lines 24 and 25 coming together at a point on the fold line 16. The upper portion of the outline 23 is defined by cut lines 27 and 29 which form continuations of the fold lines 24 and 25, and which come together at the fold line 16 as indicated at 30. The cut lines 27 and 29 may comprise elongated perforations if desired or may be entirely out through. In any event, it is desirable that they separate very easily when the carton pour spout is opened. The pour spout also includes a pair of shallow V-shaped fold lines 31 and 32 which also come together at the fold line 16. The outer ends of these fold lines 31 and 32 extend to the upper ends of the fold lines 24 and 25, or to the lower ends of the cut lines 27 and 29.

An opening 33 is provided extending equally on opposite sides of the fold line 21, and extending into the reinforcing panels 20 and 22. The opening 33 is formed by a pair of cut lines 34 and 35 which are of outwardly bowed form, and which generally coincide with the fold lines 24 and 25 in the folded form of the carton. A pair of opposed cut lines 36 and 37 extend inwardly toward one another, and are connected by an upwardly bowed curved out line 39 which is of somewhat smaller radius than the upper cut lines 27 and 29 of the pour spout structure. Thus, the portion of the reinforcing panels 20 and 22 which are above the shoulders 36 and 37 lie inwardly of the upper edge of the pour spout and lie inwardly of the cut lines 27 and 29.

As is indicated in FIG. ll of the drawings, the fold lines 31 and 32 divide the pour spout outline 23 into a pair of generally triangular lower panels 4%) and a pair of generally triangular upper panels 41. When the area of the panels 40 just below the intersection of the fold lines 31 and 32 is pressed inwardly, the upper panels 41 fold downwardly and outwardly in the manner shown in FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 of the drawings. As will also be indicated in FIGS. 2 and 3, a portion of the panels 20 and 22 are visible through the opening when the pour spout is in its open position.

As is indicated in FIG. 6 of the drawings, the reinforcing panel 20 as well as the glue flap H7 is provided with a straight row of adhesive extending thereacross in order to secure the glue flap 17 to the end panel 13. This glue line is indicated at 43. A second glue line 44 is applied to the surface of the reinforcing panel 22 along the end. edge thereof. As a result, the reinforcing panels 20 and 22 are secured inwardly of two panels 112 and 13 which are foldably connected along the fold line 16. In view of the fact that the carton is flat when adhered, difficulty would be experienced when opening up the carton.

In order to avoid this difficulty, a notch 45 is provided having its vertex along the fold line 21 and in slightly spaced relation to the rounded top portion 39 of the opening 33. As a result, only a narrow strap of paperboard is provided between the vertex of the notch and the opening 33.

In order to further simplify the opening while still providing sufficient reinforcing panel areas to form a firm connection, an aperture 46 is provided intersecting the fold line 21 between the lower end 47 of the opening 33 and the lower edge 49 of the reinforcing panels 20 and 22. This aperture 46 is centered between the opening 33 and the lower panel edge 49 so as to provide two short connecting straps, one between the opening 46 and the point 47 of the opening 33, and the other 50 of which is between the opening 46 and the point 47 of the opening 33, and the other 50 of which is between the aperture 46 and the lower panel edge 49. These three connecting straps which form the sole connection between the reinforcing panels 20 and 22 are sufficiently weak and flexible so that they can buckle inwardly as the carton is set up. in actual practice, it was found extremely difficult to open up the carton when the notch 45 and the aperture 46 were not provided. Since providing the notch and aperture, no further difficulty has been experienced.

The carton A is provided with suitable top and bot tom closures. Top closure flaps 51, 52, 53 and d are connected to the upper edges of the panel 10, 111, 12 and 13 along a fold line 55. Bottom closure flaps 56, 57, 59 and 60 are connected to the lower edges of the wall panels 10, ll, 12 and 13 along the fold line 611. Thus, the carton can be closed in the conventional manner.

The present structure has been found advantageous over previous patents in that the curved or outwardly bowed fold lines 24 and 25 tend to resist folding and assist in holding the pour spout either in open position or in closed position. Secondly, the reinforcing panels not only serve as a reinforcement to the curved edges of the pour spout, but also underlie the upper edges of the pour spout panels 41, making it feasible to provide cut lines defining up er edges of the panels 41. Furthermore, the rein orcing panels resist he inward folding of the flaps or panels 41, preventing the entire pour spout area to fold inwardly as it is sometimes done in the past.

It is also important that while the reinforcing panels are adhered to the inner surface of the wall panels under which they extend, and are adhered to these outer panels, the fold line 21 is cutaway in a manner to provide very short connecting straps between the reinforcing panels, permitting the reinforcing panels to fold effectively.

In accordance with the patent statutes we have described the principles of construction and operation of our pouring spout construction, and while we have endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, we desire to have it understood that obvious changes may be made within the scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

We claim:

l. A carton pour spout adjoining the juncture of two carton panels foldably connected along a common fold line, the spout including:

a pair of upwardly curved and outwardly bowed similar fold lines extending from a common point on said common fold line to points equally spaced on opposite sides of said common fold line,

weakened lines of separation extending upwardly from said equally spaced points to a second common point on said common fold line spaced from said first named common point,

a pair of fold lines extending in V-shaped relation from said equally spaced points downwardly to a third common point on said common fold line, said third common point being between said first and second common points, and whereby when inward pressure is exerted to said fold line between said first common point and said third common point, the area between said outwardly bowed fold lines will fold inwardly along said curved outwardly bowed fold lines,

a pair of reinforcing panels secured inwardly of said carton panels, said reinforcing panels having a fold line coinciding with said common fold line, said reinforcing panels having an aperture defined by lower edges which substantially concide with said outwardly bowed fold lines, and by upper edges spaced inwardly offset relating to said weakened lines so as to reinforce the edge of the area defined by said weakened lines of separation said upper edges remaining in the plane of the reinforcing panels in which they are located to form an abutment against which the areas of said panels adjoining said weakened lines may engage in face contact,

and including a second aperture a slot in said reinforcing panels intersecting the fold line between said reinforcing panels and interrupting said last named fold lines to provide narrow connecting straps between said reinforcing panels.

2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said connecting straps lie between said second aperture and the lower edge of said reinforcing panels, between said first and second apertures, and between said first aperture and the top of said reinforcing panels. 

1. A carton pour spout adjoining the juncture of two carton panels foldably connected along a common fold line, the spout including: a pair of upwardly curved and outwardly bowed similar fold lines extending from a common point on said common fold line to points equally spaced on opposite sides of said common fold line, weakened lines of separation extending upwardly from said equally spaced points to a second common point on said common fold line spaced from said first named common point, a pair of fold lines extending in V-shaped relation from said equally spaced points downwardly to a third common point on said common fold line, said third common point being between said first and second common points, and whereby when inward pressure is exerted to said fold line between said first common point and said third common point, the area between said outwardly bowed fold lines will fold inwardly along said curved outwardly bowed fold lines, a pair of reinforcing panels secured inwardly of said carton panels, said reinforcing panels having a fold line coinciding with said common fold line, said reinforcing panels having an aperture defined by lower edges which substantially concide with said outwardly bowed fold lines, and by upper edges spaced inwardly offset relating to said weakened lines so as to reinforce the edge of the area defined by said weakened lines of separation said upper edges remaining in the plane of the reinforcing panels in which they are located to form an abutment against which the areas of said panels adjoining said weakened lines may engage in face contact, and including a second aperture a slot in said reinforcing panels intersecting the fold line between said reinforcing panels and interrupting said last named fold lines to provide narrow connecting straps between said reinforcing panels.
 2. The structure of claim 1 and in which said connecting straps lie between said second aperture and the lower edge of said reinforcing panels, between said first and second apertures, and between said first aperture and the top of said reinforcing panels. 